restart

name	restart
description	Restart the Claude Code session by gracefully exiting so the launcher loop restarts it. Use when you need to pick up config changes, plugin updates, or env var changes. Requires a launcher script (e.g., run-agent.sh) that restarts Claude after exit.

Restart

This skill enables Claude to restart its own session by performing a graceful exit (SIGINT), relying on the launcher script to restart the process.

When to Use This Skill

• After making configuration changes that require a restart (plugin updates, settings changes)
• After environment variable changes that only take effect on session start
• When the handler requests a restart
• When you need a fresh session to pick up new hooks or rules

How It Works

Restart is simply an exit with the expectation that a launcher script will restart Claude:

1. Validate git state -- same checks as /exit (no uncommitted changes, no unpushed commits)
2. Save continuation state -- optionally write a continuation prompt so the restarted session picks up where you left off
3. Send SIGINT -- gracefully exit the session
4. Launcher restarts -- the wrapper script (e.g., run-agent.sh) detects the exit and starts a new Claude session

Prerequisites

• A launcher script that restarts Claude after exit (e.g., a while true loop)
• If no launcher is present, restart behaves identically to exit -- the session simply ends

Quick Method

Use the exit script -- restart is just exit with launcher support:

${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/bin/exit.sh

Saving Continuation State

Before restarting, you may want to save state so the new session can resume:

1. Write a continuation prompt to .claude/tmp/continuation-prompt.md
2. Update .claude/scratch/tasks.md with current progress
3. Commit any in-progress work

The launcher script or SessionStart hook can then read the continuation prompt on startup.

Difference from Exit

Aspect	/exit	/restart
Intent	End the session	Restart with fresh state
Mechanism	SIGINT	SIGINT (same)
Launcher behavior	Session ends	Launcher restarts Claude
State preservation	Not expected	Save continuation prompt
Git validation	Required	Required

See Also

• /exit -- graceful session exit without restart
• restart skill in the project repo -- may contain project-specific restart procedures